Impressive Bordeaux progress in Champions League, Bayern on the edge

November 4, 2009

Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh’s late goal sealed a 2-0 win at Bayern Munich to put the French side into the Champions League’s knock-out stages and effectively knock the Germans out.

After midfielder Yoann Gourcuff scored with a first-half header, Chamakh took advantage of a mistake by Bayern goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt to slot the second goal on the verge of injury-time.

The French league leaders left Bavaria with three precious points while Bayern’s dreams of reaching the next phase are all but over after the defeat.

With two games left – at Juventus and home to Maccabi Haifa – remaining in the group stages, Bayern now need a miracle to qualify as the defeat leaves them third in the table six points behind leaders Bordeaux and four behind Juventus.

But Bordeaux are now in the knock-out phases even before Juventus visit the Stade Chaban-Delmas at the end of the month while facing a trip to Israel Maccabi Haifa next month.

After a slow start, Bayern had several clear chances to take the lead mid-way through the first-half, but were denied both by French goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso and bad fortune.

Coach Louis van Gaal opted for Italian World Cup winner Luca Toni and Germany striker Miroslav Klose as strikers and the pair squandered a host of chances to score.

Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger curled in a superb free-kick which Carrasso did well to palm around the post with half an hour gone.

And Klose was denied a clear chance to score after Toni headed across the face of the goal and Bordeaux defender Michael Ciani blocked the shot wit his arm, but the referee missed what should have been a clear penalty.

Bordeaux took the lead when Brazil midfielder Mauricio found Gourcuff with an inch-perfect free-kick which the Frenchman headed past Butt on 37 minutes.

Van Gaal brought on Arjen Robben just after half-time almost a month after the Dutchman injured his knee in the 0-0 draw with Juventus.

The winger created several chances down the flanks, but captain Mark van Bommel and Toni both squandered golden chances to equalise with Carrasso beaten, but fired wide.

With time running out, van Bommel fired a weak shot which gave Carrasso absolutely no problems, but at the other end, Butt came off his line too soon to leave Chamakh with a simple tap in on 89 minutes.

MUNICH (AFP)

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